Results:

107 patients (45 males, 62 females), mean age 25.23±17.68 years (range: 4 to 65 years), with active intraocular inflammation at baseline were studied. Thirty-eight had inflammation in the anterior camera, and following Adalimumab therapy achieved significant improvement (mean tyndall improved from 1.43±0.9 to 0.2±0.4; p<0.0001. Also, 54 patients had inflammation in the posterior camera. Significant improvement of optic coherence tomography (OCT) was achieved: baseline; 332.35±137.62 microns; and after 6 months of Adalimumab treatment 244.56±34.17 microns; p<0.0005. Also, 16 patients had cystoid macular edema (CME): at baseline mean OCT 432.81±144.21 microns, and after Adalimumab 256.25±37.36 microns; p<0.0003. Most of the remaining patients with intermediate uveitis (15 cases) had improvement. Also, most patients were able to reduce at least 50% of the dose of the concomitant immunosuppressive drugs at the end of follow-up. Adalimumab was usually well tolerated, and only local minor side effects at the injection site were observed. Nevertheless, 11 patients (10%) had moderate to severe relapses during the follow-up period, and 28 patients (26%) had minor relapses during the follow-up that were controlled with 1 periocular steroid injection.

Conclusion:

Adalimumab appears to be an effective and safe treatment for refractory uveitis and may reduce steroid requirement. However, further controlled studies of adalimumab for uveitis are warranted.